The invention relates to a closure system for pressure vessels including a closure for a vessel having at least one opening, wherein the closure system consists of a cover and of two clamp halves each of which can be moved into a closed or open position by means of guiding elements. The clamp halves, the cover, and the pessure vessel housing are typically equipped with movement limiting surfaces. The movement limiting surfaces of the clamp halves are adapted to cooperate with those of the cover and of the pressure vessel housing in the closed position. The closure system is especially suitable in instances where an entirely automatic closing of a pressure vessel, for example, is required. Typical pressure vessels with which the system may be satisfactorily employed are those suitable for operating at pressures of 10 bar and more, i.e. up to pressure exceeding 1000 bar.
In batch type operations, the filling and emptying of the associated pressure vessels require mechanization of the closing and opening procedure to effectively move the heavy covers and other closing elements into and out of open and closed positions by the employment of adequate devices.
It is known pressure vessel covers may be locked in a closed position by means of a bayonet catch which requires a linear movement in direction of the longitudinal vessel axis and a subsequent rotational movement. The inner part of a bayonet catch is unsuitable for batch type operations which use filling media, such as granular or fibrous substances, because such media tends to collect in the corners and recesses of the mechanism adversely affecting the resultant operation.
In other known closure devices, the flat cover is maintained in place in a closed position by a multiple clamp, the inner stop surfaces of which are caused to contact the associated cover and housing.
The closure systems known are not suitable for mechanization up to now because the heavy forces encounterd during operation cause bending or distortion of the parts of the devices and excessive abrasion on the cooperating stop surfaces.